E-khata holders in Bengaluru struggle to carry out property transactions as AROs delay uploading EC

A non-resident Indian (NRI), who has property in Bengaluru, said his associate in Bengaluru spent more than two months to secure the e-khata but now he is faced with a bigger hurdle. Despite submitting the latest EC to the office, the ARO is citing some errors while securing e-khata. The ARO further claimed that the technical errors disallowed uploading of the EC.

Several e-khata holders in Bengaluru are struggling to make property transactions as Assistant Revenue Officials (AROs) are citing technical hurdles in uploading Encumbrance Certificate (EC). The EC is mandatory to carry out land transactions. 

When the e-khata website was launched on October 1, 2024, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) had made EC mandatory for securing e-khata. Later, the BBMP removed the EC from the list of mandatory documents. Owners are now securing e-khata without EC. 

Rakesh A., a property owner, told The Hindu, “Although it’s been a month since I obtained an e-khata after paying the stipulated fee, I have been running from pillar to post to sell my land. When the EC is submitted in the sub-registrar’s office, the ARO said the staff is unable to upload the document due to a technical error. The ARO also told me that property owners should upload EC during the process of obtaining e-khata, Since that was not done, it is one of the reasons why the system is not allowing uploading of EC now. I have been visiting the sub-registrar’s office for the past one month, but to no avail,” he said. 

Mr. Rakesh said the sole purpose of securing e-khata was to sell his property, but he is unable to carry out the land transaction.

A non-resident Indian (NRI), who has property in Bengaluru, said his associate in Bengaluru spent more than two months to secure the e-khata but now he is faced with a bigger hurdle. Despite submitting the latest EC to the office, the ARO is citing some errors while securing e-khata. The ARO further claimed that the technical errors disallowed uploading of the EC.

“I wish to carry out a release deed for the property I own in the name of my wife. Unless the EC is uploaded, nothing can be done. The government must resolve this problem because many are facing the same problem,” the NRI claimed.

A senior BBMP official in the Revenue Department said, “This has come to the notice of the BBMP, but EC cannot be made optional for land transactions. It’s a key to avoid fraud. We are contemplating devising a strategy to eliminate delay and corruption at the lower levels.”